‘Tis the season for spring cleaning! It’s the season where we toss out the old to make room for the new. And it doesn’t stop at deep-cleaning your apartment or swapping out your winter wear for lighter clothing … your skincare routine needs a boost, too! Darlings, here are my expert tips for transitioning from winter to spring with fresh, fabulous skin.
1. Toss Out All Your Old Products
Spring cleaning is the perfect opportunity to purge all your old skincare products and cosmetics. You might not think so, but these products do have a shelf life! Old, outdated products can harbour bacteria and lose their effectiveness. So, check the dates on all your products to see what’s worth tossing. You may want to bin the following:
• Products past their expiration date,
• Products that appear dry or crusty,
• Products that have changed in smell, colour or consistency,
• Any SPF products older than one year (SPF loses its effectiveness over time and it’s just not worth the risk!),
• Any mascaras older than three months (always toss mascara after three months, regardless of how much product remains),
• Old, dirty make-up sponges and brushes.
2. Swap Your Heavy Moisturiser For A Lighter Lotion
During warm, humid weather, the reality is that you’re more likely to sweat when you’re out and about … and no one wants to look shiny at brunch or feel all hot and sweaty while scrambling around the mall, right? So, for spring, swap out your usual heavy moisturiser for something lighter if you have normal skin. If you have oily or acne-prone skin, skip it altogether. Often, you can change from thick creams in jars to thinner ones that pump from bottles. However, if you have eczema, psoriasis or very dry skin, you may need a heavy, creamy moisturiser all year ‘round.
3. Exfoliate Weekly To Maintain A Healthy Glow
Exfoliating helps slough off dry, dead skin cells after the winter months and restore a beautiful, fresh glow. Gentle exfoliation once a week will even out your skin’s tone and texture and help your skin absorb moisturisers better. Plus, if you swear by self-tanners (like me), exfoliating will help them go on more evenly and last longer! Grab a pair of bath gloves like these ones from the Body Shop and a bottle of body scrub like this delightful strawberry one by Palmolive, and you’re all set and ready to scrub! If you have sensitive skin or a condition like rosacea, be careful of grainy products or harsh scrubbing, which may irritate your skin.
4. Monitor Your Sun Time
The sun can be a friend or foe … it all depends on how much time you spend out in it. Too much sun exposure can lead to sunburn, which in the long run can result in sun damage and wrinkles – eek! Let me tell you, Darlings, prevention is so much easier than concealing or trying to fix things like this. So, make sure you monitor how much time you spend in the sun. Don’t spend more than two hours in direct sunlight a day, and try avoid being outdoors during peak hours (in other words, between 10am and 2pm) when possible. Make sure you slather on a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher every day – even when it’s cloudy (because sunburn and sun damage can occur even through the clouds, believe it or not).
5. Take Baths More Regularly To Keep Your Skin Fresh
If you avoided frequent bathing during the dry winter months, spring is a great time to return to regular bathing, especially considering that you’ll be sweating more. Bathing, as opposed to showering, is a fabulous way of keeping your skin fresh and hydrated. I love taking a DIY milk and honey spa bath at home once a week to keep my skin in tip top condition. Try it out for yourself: just add 2 cups dry powdered milk, 1/4 cup warmed raw honey, 1/4 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup epsom salts to your bath water (a book and a glass of wine wouldn’t hurt either), then hop in and soak for up to an hour … it’ll leave your skin looking and feeling wonderfully replenished and healthy!
6. Try Out A Gentle Facial Peel
For youthful, more even-toned skin, the experts are certainly in agreement: facial peels are the way to go! However, caution is advised … while it’s tempting to go for the fastest fix, when it comes to skin peels, a soft approach is by far your best option. For results that last and will make a real difference to your complexion, the way forward is a light-handed approach, which is exactly why I love this night peeling lotion by L’Oreal. It leaves my skin looking brand new! And, remember ladies – there are two things friends don’t let friends do … have bad eyebrows, or go for peels that will harm their skin!
7. Lighten Up On The Makeup
Spring is definitely the season to let your skin go au naturel. That’s right – it’s time to lighten up on the makeup! I’m not complaining, considering the ‘no makeup’ look is totally trending right now. On warmer days, opt for a BB cream or light coverage foundation instead of a heavy foundation to avoid looking like a hot mess. Heavy foundations cover well, but they tend to collect in your pores, on dry areas and in fine lines. Plus, they can very easily clog up your pores, which can lead to pesky breakouts … no thanks! Invest in a strobe cream or liquid illuminator this season to add some highlights and radiance to your bare-faced look. You won’t regret it!
With these great tips, you’ll be about to brighten up before the temperatures begin to soar (well, soar even more)!
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